Online high-protein food retailer Musclefood has acquired 42 desks at flexible workspace Huckletree Ancoats, Manchester, in a deal brokered by global real estate advisor, Colliers International.
Musclefood, which is expanding following a surge in orders and had begun looking for a new space in Manchester before the COVID-19 pandemic began, has taken the space on the first floor of the iconic Express building on a two-year term.
The Express building, which was once the Manchester office of the Daily Express newspaper, was opened in November 2019 by flexible workspace operator, Huckletree.
Patrick Kennedy, regional flexible workspace consultant at Colliers International, advised on the deal with both parties. He said: “Initially, Musclefood had been considering both conventional and flexible workspace, but in recent months the benefits of the flexible space has become increasingly apparent.
“With no capital costs to outlay, the flexible lease agreement means the business can move in and get started quickly, without protracted legal negotiations and paperwork to sign. A shorter contract also allows growing businesses to be agile about their real estate commitments.”
Paul Kirwin, chief customer officer, of Musclefood, which has its headquarters in Nottingham, wanted to find new office space in Manchester as the business grows.
“Manchester is renowned as a technical and digital hub which is why we wanted to expand here so that we can work with the right people. Our thoughts and ideas changed a few times during the search, as 2020 became rather different to what everyone had planned.
“When we arrived in Manchester we started off in a co-working space, but Patrick listened and understood our requirements, he always had our business’ needs at the forefront of the search. The flexible workspace at Huckletree is more suitable for us as we have our own door and office space but can also share facilities such as meeting rooms.”
Imani Chimo, General Manager at Huckletree Ancoats added: “It’s a delight that Musclefood has chosen the Express building as their base, they are the perfect curation fit and we are excited to be a part of their journey of growth.
“Our new flexible packages offer solutions that are built around the member’s needs and focuses on what really matters to them; which in turn aligns us with one of our key missions; member obsession! HKT are here to help you scale, develop and expand; we are much more than just an ordinary community.”
